Sleeping-car.



PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

T. 0. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING GAR. H urmonnm FILED AUG.18,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

No. 858,180. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

, T. O. ABBOTT.

SLEEPING OAR.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.18,1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TWYMAN O. ABBOTT, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

. SLEEPING-CAR.

My invention is designed more particularly,

to provide means whereby the berths of sleeping cars, vessels, and the like employing flexible curtains for the purpose of dividing ofi the berth from the main part of the car,

:stateroom, etc. may be ventilated, at the will of the occupant, while at the same time, the

complete privacy which should be afi'orded by t e compartment or berth is maintained.

At times great discomfort is experienced by travelers in the berths of sleeping cars often because of the fact that the curtains dividing the berth from the car when closed. as they must be for privacy, prevent the passa e of air to or from the berth. A curtain su ticiently light and porous to provide'the necessary ventilation cannot well be used as under certain circumstances, for instance, when the berth is lighted, it is no longer shielded from the view of the other occupants of the car, and a ain a light porous curtain would be object onable when, in cold weather, it is desiredto shield the occupant from drafts.

It is the object of my invention to use a flexible curtain of similar texture and weight to that now found best for the purpose and to provide said curtain with ventilating means whereby all the shielding or seclu ding qualities of the curtain will be preserved both while the assenger is occupying the berth andwhile ressing in standing position alongside the berth.

My invention consists broadly in a flexible curtain for a berth with a ventilating device carried thereby.

My invention further consists of other features, and of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and par- .ticularly ointed out in the claims.

In the awings, Figure 1 is a front view of a section having curtains embodying my in vention, Fi 2 is a cross sectional view of the section of l ig. 1', Fi 3 is an enlarged detail view of one form 0 ventilating device carried by the curtain, the view being a transverse section through a part of the curtain and said ventilating device, Fig.- 4 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, Figf'5 is a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 18,1906. Serial No. 331,181.-

- the tape or strap 10.

Patented June 25, 1907.

means for holding the curtain, said means detail view of a part of the upper berth with however, being shown in the position assumed by it when not in use, Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the parts in position holding the curtain, Fig. 7 1s a front view of an upper berth and part of the lower'berth, showing a modified arrangement of curtains, Fig. 8 is a plan view of a longitudinal section on lines 8-8 of Fig. 7 with the curtains secured in position, Fig. 9 is a detail of the up per berth with the double curtains of Fig. 7,

attached thereto.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, the upper berth is represented at '1 and the lower berth at 2, I show the usual curtain rod at 3 su porting a pair of curtains 4 which are draped from the rod 3 in the ordinary manner so as to divide off and seclude the compartment or section from the aisle of the car. These curtains are of the same material ordinarily emplo ed. They are provided with devices at 5, 6 a ong their Vertical edges by which they may be attached to each other. For the purpose of ventilating the berth, I provide each curtain,

referably in its body portion with a ventiatin device and as representative of any suita le device which may be employed for the purpose, I have shown a series of louver boards or slats 7 pivotally mounted at their lower parts to strips 8 preferabl forming parts of the rectangular frame w 'ch is secured within an opening in the body of the curtain in any suitable manner. These louver boards incline upwardly and overlap each other as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and serve to allow the passage of air' while at the same time they exclude a view of the berth from the aisle of the car. The louver boards or slats are connected at their inner free ends with a ta e or strap 10, connected permanentl wit the curtain at its up er end and detac ably connected with the ame at its lower end by means of a ress button 11 or other suitable device. y drawing down upon this strap or tape, the ventilating device may be set in its 0 en position for ventilation and it will be he d in this position by In order to secure different degrees of ventilation, I provide a supplemental curtain 12 which may be aflixed as a drop curtain or carried by a roller 13 j ournaled in bearin s 14 attached to the main curtain. This rol er is of the ordinary spring character and by ing or leaving the berth without interference.

with or hindrance from the ventilating devices carried by the curtain. These wide, flexible marginal portions of the curtain will also permit the assenger to screen himself while standing a ongside the berth for dressing or undressing.

do not wish to limit myself to the form of ventilating device shown as other forms may be employed, and, if desired, they may be of such form as to induce a ventilating current of air. Furthermore, where a louver, con.- struction is employed, I do not wish to restrict mgself to the use of a rigid frame or to rigid si e str'ps as pivot su ports for the boards nor to the manner 0 adjusting the ventilating capacity of the device.

In order to secure the intermediate part of the curtains in place to more effectually divide off the upper from the lower berth, I provide fastening means for the curtain whereby it may be secured along the upper berth. This means consists of a strip of suitable material 15 secured at 16 to the inner ed e of the berth, said strip being adapted to e fo'lded over the upper edge of said berth as shown in Fig. 6 to present a series of buttons 17 carried thereby to the series of eyelets or sockets 18 carried by the curtain. This curtain is rovided with tabs or finger pieces 19 by w "oh the fastenin s may be manipulated. When the upper erth is to be closed, the attaching strlp is folded over the upper face of the mattress as shown in Fi 5.

Instead of employing a curtain which is I draped from the top of the upper berth and extends over both berths, I may employ a air of curtains for the upper berth separate ii'om those used for the'lower berth. This arrangement is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in which the upper berth curtains are re resented at 19 and those for the lower bert at 20. In this case also, I em loy the attaching strip, the lower curtains eing removably connected therewith, as for instance, at 21 Figs. 7, 8 and 9 and the upper curtains being attached by buttons or clasps to the lower curtain. I also employ buttons or'fastening devices 21 for attaching the curtains of the lower berth to the frame thereof. These buttons are located below the ventilating means and serve to hold the curtain in position at this point.

The curtain arrangement of Figs. 7, 8 and g 9 presents the advantage of use either as a single curtain for one berth or as a double curtain to screen both berths. The upper and lower curtains may, of course, be attached together without attaching the lower curtain to the upper berth. It will be clear that the strap or tape 10 holds the ventilator in open position and in a sense rigidly to the frame. This rigid holding is true also of the buttons 21. The tape when released will permit the louver boards to be closed, one

against the other when the curtain is folded.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a berth for a sleeping car or the like, a removable flexible curtain for said berth and a ventilating device carried thereon substantially as described.

2. In combination with a berth for a sleeping car and the like, a removable flexible curtain for shielding said berth, and a ventilating device carried within the body of the curtain leaving free marginal portions to be thrown aside for entering or leaving the berth or to cover the person while in the aisle adjacent the berth substantially as described.

3. In combination with a berth for a sleeping car or the like, a pair of removable curtains for shielding the berth, each of said ourtains having a ventilating device carried thereby and with their adjacent portions providing wide flexible margins substantially as described.

4. In combination with a removable flexible curtain for berths of sleeping cars and the like, a ventilating device carried thereby and a supplemental curtain for varying the ventilating capacityof said device, said supplemental curtain being carriedby the main curtain substantially as described.

5. In combination with the berth of a sleeping car or the like, a curtain, a ventilating device carried thereby and means connecting the ventilating device with the frame of the berth substantially as described.

6. In combination with the berth, a curtain, a ventilating de'vice carried thereby and means adjacent the ventilating device for attaching the curtain to the frame of-the berth substantially as described.

7. In combination with the berth, a curtain, a ventilating device carried thereby, means for attaching the curtain above the ventilating device, and means for attaching the curtain to the framework at a point below the ventilating device substantiallyas described.

8. In combination with the berth, a curtain therefor, a ventilating device carried by the curtain, means for securing the curtain to the frame at a point below the ventilating device, and means connecting the ventilating device with the frame at a point belowthe v ventilating device.

9. In combination with the upper and lower berth, an attaching strip extending. tions of said boards and having means of atalong the upper berth having means for attachment to theframe substantially as detaching a curtain thereto, said strip being scribed.

adapted to be folded over the berth or along In testimony whereof, I aifix Iny signature 5 the outer side thereof substantially as, dein presence of two Witnesses.

scribed. o I 10. In combination with the curtain, a TWYMAN ABBOTT ventilator carried thereby and consisting of a Witnesses:

series of boards or slats pivotally mounted 2 7' JAMES M. SPEAK, 10 and a tape or strap attached to the free por- O. S. MIDDLETON. 

